The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office has a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of sexual abuse and sexual harassment within any Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office facility. We continually work to prevent and detect any such activity while immediately responding to all allegations. We fully investigate all alleged incidents in accordance with our standards and policies. Violators will be referred for prosecution.

What is PREA?

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) is a federal law that prohibits and seeks to eliminate sexual assault, sexual misconduct, and sexual harassment in confinement. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office has a zero tolerance policy and strives to provide a safe, humane and appropriately secure environment, free from threat of sexual abuse for all staff and offenders. We maintain a program of prevention, detection, response, reporting, investigating and tracking of all alleged and substantiated incidents of sexual abuse.

Your Rights:

◾You have the right to report sexual abuse privately, safely, and through multiple channels.

◾You have the right to receive free medical and mental healthcare if you are abused.

◾You have the right to get assistance from trained victim advocates for emotional support services related to sexual abuse.

◾You have the right to be protected from sexual abuse.

◾You have the right to be protected from retaliation of any sort.

What is Sexual Abuse?

Sexual abuse includes sexual abuse of an inmate, detainee, or resident by another inmate, resident, staff member, contractor, or volunteer.

Abuse by Another Inmate

Sexual abuse by another inmate includes any of the following acts, if the victim does not consent, is coerced into such act by overt or implied threats of violence, or is unable to consent or refuse:

◾Contact between the penis and the vulva or penis and the anus including penetration however slight.

◾Contact between the mouth and the penis, vulva, or anus.

◾Penetration of the anus or genital opening of another person however slight by any hand, finger, object, or other instrument.

◾Any other intentional touching either directly or through the clothing of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person excluding incidents in which the intent of the sexual contact is solely to harm, or debilitate rather than to sexually exploit.

Abuse by Anyone Else

Sexual abuse by a staff member, contractor, guest or volunteer includes any of the following acts, with or without consent of the inmate:

◾Contact between the penis and the vulva or penis and the anus including penetration however slight or contact between the mouth and the penis, vulva, or anus.

◾Contact between the mouth and any part where the staff member, contractor, visitor or volunteer has the intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire.

◾Penetration of the anus or genital opening of another person however slight by any hand, finger, object or other instrument that is unrelated to the official duties of where the staff member contractor, guest or volunteer has intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire.

◾ Any other intentional touching either directly or through the clothing of the genitalia, anus, groin, or buttocks that is unrelated to the official duties or where the staff member, contractor, or volunteer has intent to abuse, or gratify sexual desire.

◾Any attempt, threat, or request by a staff member contractor, or volunteer, to engage in the activities described above.

◾Any display by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer of his or her uncovered genital buttocks or breast in the presence of an inmate, detainee or resident and voyeurism by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer.

What is sexual harassment?

◾Repeated and unwelcome sexual advances requests for sexual favors or verbal comments, gestures, or actions of a derogatory or offensive nature by one inmate, directed towards another.

◾Repeated verbal comments or gestures of a sexual nature to an inmate by a staff member contractor, or volunteer, including demeaning references to gender, sexually suggestive or derogatory comments about body or clothing, or obscene language or gestures.

Reporting Sexual Abuse

Inmates in any LPSO facility are encouraged to immediately report allegations of sexual abuse or sexual assault to staff. Multiple channels are available to you to report sexual abuse or sexual assault.